It was dark when I woke, just the faintest lightening of the deep blue to herald the sun’s rising. Through the open window of my bedroom another herald greets the coming dawn. The blackbird was perched on the tree so I could see the faint silhouette as I lay there listening to the concert. There is no music that betters a live performance, and the first song of the blackbird is the most beautiful of all.

I am lucky… though as I sit shivering on winter mornings I may not think so… as the dog requires instant and prolonged access to the garden. Being up so early I can listen to the dawn chorus most days. Sometimes, even so early, I am so busy that it is the just background music to activity, the half-heard soundtrack to thought and movement. Most days, however, I take the time to listen, revelling in the gift of song I could never match. It accompanies me through meditation and leads me in beauty to stillness.

Within half an hour the world is full of song as the sun rises. You can hear it even in the town, beyond the traffic noise, but here in the village it is the only sound when the world still sleeps. I wonder about it sometimes. What are they saying? Are they singing in simple joy a hymn to the sun at its rising? Are they sharing news and gossip. Both perhaps. As the first bird raises its voice in song it seems to sing alone for a long time… its voice one of the loveliest, centre stage… the soloist of dawn. If you listen it seems that way. Then a chorus of voices join the song and it is as if all of creation sings in the morning… except for us, or maybe in part for us, for we seldom raise our hearts in song for the pure joy of living.

Or perhaps, I wonder in the dawn chill, they are singing the Miserere for us, for we who have forgotten a joy they know, the soaring flight of wings on the morning.

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About Sue Vincent

Sue Vincent is a Yorkshire-born writer and one of the Directors of The Silent Eye, a modern Mystery School. She writes alone and with Stuart France, exploring ancient myths, the mysterious landscape of Albion and the inner journey of the soul. Find out more at France and Vincent. She is owned by a small dog who also blogs.
Follow her at scvincent.com and on Twitter @SCVincent. Find her books on Goodreads and follow her on Amazon worldwide to find out about new releases and offers. Email: findme@scvincent.com.

53 Responses to Morning Song

Beautiful 🙂 I often lie and listen to blackbirds and try to pick up on any specific patterns or sounds that might indicate some sort of language going on if you will. There’s a little Robin or I’m sure it’s the same one that follows me along the lane when I’m out with the dogs first thing. He appears in hedges, trees and gates along the lane and the time, place and little spots he rests on and waits for me to catch up makes me think it has to be the same friend staying close and coming with us on our first walk.

Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
I awoke to crows on the roof this morning, discussing the best gardens to visit for leftovers and perhaps a sneaky snatch of something glittery. At the same time they were dislodging pieces of moss and chucking them over the edge in a game of who can throw the furthest. However, after a few minutes they got bored and I could hear the sparrows in the hedge and surrounding trees with their songs of romance. Spring is here despite the threat of snow. Sue Vincent shares her love of the morning chorus in a much more eloquent fashion.. do head over.

We have a pair of blackbirds visit our garden and I’m hopeful we will see them bringing up young. They are a little wary of us, tending to sit on the fence rather than come to the feeder (Hubby intends to move it further away from the window). Their song is beautiful.

Almost always hear the chorus in the morning – velux window slightly open in my study despite the cold and husband shouting ” is the heating off in there?” lol! We have an old tree that I hang all sorts of ‘birdy’ treat – just to entice them to our garden.This week, a wonderful surprise, a woodpecker has joined the breakfast gang.Even the resident robin isn’t brave enough to see this bird off!

This one seems to be feral…and you often turn a corner in a car and find him staring at you from the middle of the road that he (obviously) owns… I’ll never forget Ani’s face the to first time she encountered him. You could see the shock…birds are not supposed to be that big 😀

“We seldom raise our hearts in song for the pure joy of living.” Do have any idea how profound that statement is? It blew me over, as if I were a feather. I sing all the time. All the time. I will either go down as a cuckoo older lady, or one who knows. Thank you, Sue. 🙂

So beautiful, Sue! Makes me think of the song “Morning Has Broken” by Cat Stevens. It’s one of my favorites. Lyrics of the first stanza:
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world

I love the dawn chorus, which of course, only comes in the breeding season as males proclaim their territory to any rival. Even though there is still snow on the ground and the days are cold, the locals have already started doing so, well before the more melodious migrants arrive. How it gladdens my heart to hear them sing their song of spring!

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